Suturing or stitching is the most common method among the many methods for closing cuts and wounds. Sutures can be used on almost every part of the body, internally and externally. Doctors literally “sew” the skin together with individual sutures and tie a secure knot. Sutures then allow the skin to heal naturally when it otherwise may not come together.
Sutures are divided into two general categories: absorbable and non-absorbable. Absorbable sutures rapidly break down in the tissues and lose their strength. This type of suture does not need to be removed. Non-absorbable sutures, on the other hand, maintain their strength for a longer time. These sutures are used to close skin wounds and require removal once the wound has healed. Non-absorbable sutures are made of materials which are not metabolized by the body, and the sutures are removed after healing of the incision or the wound. There are several materials that are used for non-absorbable sutures. A commonly used one is a natural fiber or silk, which has gone through a special manufacturing process to make it adequate for use in surgery. Other non-absorbable sutures are made of artificial fibers, like polypropylene, polyester or nylon; these may or may not have coatings to enhance their performance characteristics.
Many different tools have been developed to remove the non-absorbable suture once the cut is healed. The most common tools used for suture removal are scissors and forceps. To remove a suture, the tail of the suture knot is grabbed by a forceps and lifted to raise the suture loop slightly off the skin. A scissor or other cutter is then used to cut the suture loop, while the forceps removes the suture.
One problem with this method is that it involves the introduction of the tip of one of the scissor blades into the loop of the suture. This requires substantial elevation of the tied loop of the suture away from the skin's surface thereby causing pain to the patient and potentially disrupting the healed incision or cut. Furthermore, the process of introducing a scissor tip into the suture loop requires a certain level of skill and dexterity to be done efficiently, particularly if the patient is anxious or uncooperative. An additional problem with the use of scissors is that the sharp tips and edges can cut or otherwise injure a patient that is anxious or mobile during the suture removal process such as when removing sutures from young children. Other cutting tools commonly used along with forceps to remove sutures include stainless steel scalpel blades which also require the introduction of a cutting surface into the suture loop and therefore have the same problems and disadvantages associated with the use of scissors for suture removal.
In order to eliminate the above mentioned problems, several different suture removal tools have been introduced. Examples of suture removal tools and methods can be found in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,048,746 B2 to Warden et al. and the U.S. Pat. No. 7,699,856 B2 to Van Wyk et al. They introduce a suture removal instrument with a thermal filament tip, which is slipped under the suture in order to heat and cut (i.e., melt off) the suture. The thermal suture removal devices may damage the cut area or cause discomfort or even burn injuries if they touch the skin. Also, since some sutures are made of plastic materials, they can deform when heated. It is more difficult to remove a deformed suture.